Apparatus for cleaning and pumping oil wells



June 20,-1939 F. G. BECKMAN APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AND PUMPING OIL WELLS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 5, 1957 Patented June 20, 1939 2,163,115 APPARATUS FOR- CLEANIN OIL G .AND PUMPING WELLS Fred G. Beckman, Muskogee, Application April 3, 1937, Serial No. 134,794

2 Claims.

This invention relateslto new and useful improvements in apparatus for cleaning and pumping oil wells.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whereby a well may be cleaned out with greater economy, and deepened if desired, without imposing additional pressure on the producing structure or exposing such formations to air or gas, used in elevating the fluids or liquids.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved. apparatus for lifting fluids and liquids in oil wells having comparatively low pressures, but in which the oil rises to some height therein; and so to do without imposing addi- '5 tional pressure on the producing structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for cleaning out oil wells wherein a column of liquid is standing which includes drilling up the accumulations in the bot- 20 tom of the hole, trapping the cuttings and liquid in a tubing, and lifting the trapped cuttings and liquid out of the tubing by means of air or gas pressure, and at the same time closing olf the formation to such pressure.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and v by reference to the accompanying drawings, in

which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein: i

Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatical view ofv the surface equipment,

' 35 Figure 2 is a similar View of the underground equipment,

Figure 3 is a detail of the drill and valve structures,

Figure 4 is a view partly in section and partly v in elevation of a modified apparatus for lifting ulds from the well, and

Figure 5 is a similar view of the underground equipment. f

In the drawings the numeral III designates a well casing. II a string of `tubing therein, and I2 a pressure line extending down through the tubing. T'he usual casing head I3 is mounted on the casing and the tubing string passes therethrough. The usual grief stem I5 is attached to the tubing and passes through the rotary table I4. The stem and string are suspended by an elevator I6 hung in the derrick in the ordinary manner.

A swivel II is connected to the upper end of u the stem I5 and'a hose connection I8 extends (Cl. Z-24) from the swivel. The pressure line I2 extends through a stuiiing box I9 in the top of the swivel and is connected to a swivel 20, whereby said line may rotate with the tubing. A stationary pressure line 2| carries the swivel 20. Air or gas 5 under. pressure is supplied to the line I2 while the tubing and said line are being rotated.

It is not necessaryl that the well be cased, but where casing I0 is used the tubing II extends below the casing. The shank 22 of a sh tail or 10 other bit 23 is screwed into the lower end of the tubing. A valve seat 24 is provided in the upper end of the shank (Figure 3) for receiving a valve ball 25. A duct 26 leads from the seat down through the bit. The pressure line I2 terminates 15 just above the ball 25 which is of such diameter that it cannot pass upward between the line I2 and the tubing, thus the lower end of said line limits the upward travel of said Valve. This apparatus has been found to carry out the method, go but any apparatus suitable for the purpose may, of course, be used.

It will be observed thatthe bit 23 may have a cutting diameter slightly less than the diameter of the well, so as to cut only the accumula- 25 tions at the bottom of the hole; or it may have the same diameter so that it may be used to deepen the hole. Any type of bit suitable for the formation to be cut may be used.

In operation the string of tubing II is rotated 30 by the rotary I4, whereby the bit 23 is rotated to agitate and break up accumulations or debris which have caved or otherwise collected at the bottom of the well hole. As the apparatus is used where liquid is standing in the well, a column 0f 35 liquid will rise in the casing I0, and liquid and cuttings will ow up through the duct 26, unseat the valve 25 yand rise to the same level in said tubing as in the casing. When this occurs the pressure will be balanced above the valve 25, o thus permitting it to drop to its seat 24.

Air or gas under pressure is delivered to the lines 2| and I2. The valve 25 being closed this pressure fluid will act on the liquid and cuttings trapped in the tubing and lift them and discharge 45 Said liquids. and cuttings. from the tubing II through the swivel II to the hose I8. When the liquids and cuttings are discharged the air or gas will be released to`atmosphere. The pressure of the column of liquid in the casing will again 50 load the tubing as described and the discharging operation will be repeated. The string of tubing will be lowered in the usual way as the, operation 'PIOSTESSES.

Where vmerely the lifting phase of the method u is employed, a casing head 30 is mounted in the casing l0 and the tubing Il 'is hung therein in the usual manner. A discharge elbow 3l is connected to the upper end of the tubing and a discharge pipe 34 extends therefrom. A pressure line 32 extends through a stung box 33 in the top of elbow down through the tubing Il as is shown in Figures 4 and 5. The line 32 terminates above a ball valve 31 similar to the line I2. A plug 35 is screwed into the lower end of the tubing and the valve seats at the upper end of a duct 36 extending up through saidV plug. The operation, except for the drilling, is the same as has been described.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for cleaning a well and lifting the liquid therein to the surface including, a rotatable well tubing having its lower end immersed in the liquid standing in the well, said tubing having a liquid inlt in its lower end, a gravity operated check valve adapted to close said inlet and arranged to be unseated by the liquid in the well, a conductor mounted within the tubing in a fixed position with relation thereto and having its lower end disposed above the check Valve whereby the upward movement of the check valve is limited by said conductor, said lower end of the conductor'having outlet openings therein, and means for delivering a pressure fluid into the conductor so that said pressure fluid may enter the tubing to close the check valve and lift the liquid in said tubing.

2. An apparatus for cleaning a well and lifting the liquid therein to the surface including, a rotatable well tubing having its lower end immersed in the liquid standing in the well, said tubing having a liquid inlet in its lower end, a gravity operated check valve adapted to close said inlet and arranged to be unseated by the liquid in the we1l,\a conductor mounted within the tubing in a xed position with relation thereto and having its lower end disposed above the check valve whereby the upward movement of the check valve is limited by said conductor, said lower end of the conductor having outlet openings therein, means for delivering a pressure uid into the conductor so that said pressure fluid may` enter the tubing to close the check valve and lift the liquid in said tubing, a drill bit carried by the tubing, and means for rotating said tubing to cut the accumulation and formation at the bottom of the hole.

FRED G. BECKMAN. 

